Hey David, Studio 3 owner here. Thanks for checking it out! It’s a pretty dead room, indeed. Corner traps are actually 20 inch, the bevel makes it look like they’re shallow. Tube traps work well as monitor stands, but yeah, I had to tilt the monitors a bit (the photo may not show this too well). The black thingy on the left is Axe-Fx III, IMO one of the best hardware guitar modelers. Well said about the Adam’s. The sweetspot is so narrow… off to upgrading them! 😂
Hi David! Im from the first studio you rated here!! Thanks for the feedback, these are things I havent thought about since I am mainly a producer and not a mastering engineer, but good tips!! And really like these series!! Keep it up ❤
Hey David, Owner of Pi studio (Studio 22) here. Thanks for the review. The board is actually a Soundcraft Series 5 console, its a live mixing desk from the late 90s. The tape machine is an AKAI 4 track 1/4” machine. Behind that is a plate reverb I built a few years back (DIY kinda project 😂)
Thank you for reviewing my home studio. It's very helpful when you review multiple studios. We see the common cause issues as well as highlights of what we can do to improve our studios. I guess the SSL Bus + is on hold until I get the room treatments up to snuff. This series was a great idea.
I'm surprised to see so many people still don't understand that monitoring is paramount and essential !! All that money on gear and it's marred by huge acoustic problems
Another great video with loads of good feedback. I’m in process of applying all of this to my own setup. So far have reoriented the room. Designed acoustic treatments - got about 30 GIK Units on order. Two walls of Sound Blocks baby! Upgrade the monitors and bought new stands Downsized from 12 racks to 8. I’m thinking maybe a 4k projector might be the way to go to get a ‘big display’ at the mixing position. If like me you’re a ‘producer’ that mixes own material having a LOT of screen real estate is essential for DAW, mixer, VSTs etc. thinking another option MIGHT be a large TV in a retractable enclosure so the screen goes out of the way when mixing.
That ART unit in the pro studio is called Voice Channel. It's a full channel strip with tube output stage like Pro VLA. It's cheap but better sounding than the price.
Hey David, Ron Stokes. The reason why my monitors look high is because I usually stand when I work or I have a really high chair I work from if that makes more sense haha.
Studio 7 is my project studio ! Self made from ground up ! Spend almost $50k on acoustics with the help of a pro acoustician! The Big speakers are customized old JBL with 2 subs underneath also JBL ! The thing measures +/- 5db from 40 hz to 300hz and has a timing below 0.2 sec down to 100hz !!! There hasn’t been one person that didn’t go nuts from the sound in there ! And BTW David your mixes sound Huge in here!!! Feel free to ask any questions!!!
The problem is the projection screen. For a good image you don’t want it too porous. For acoustic you want a lot of air to flow. And large acoustic projector screens are very expensive! At least for home cinema. 10k+ vs 3k for a 65” OLED. But it could be the way to go. I’m going togo with moving the screen behind the monitors on a stand and throw a quilt over it when mixing. Then will build a mechanism to hide the screen automatically when mixing. I need a LOT of screen space for overall process. Flock app, monitoring windows, DAW, mix interface, libraries, VSTs. Would get rsi hitting tab key all day long and need new eyes if use a tiny screen 🤣
I'm studio 13, think what I'm going to do is just grab some corner traps. I got the consultation from GIK and this is what they put together for my corners. I'm going to move them and take the foam down. I have The IK multimedia precision 6 coming in my Adam A7x has a subwoofer I don't use because of the room acoustics aren't all the way there. TBH The A7X's are good but not my taste after using them for 2 years, I'm going to use them as reference because of that detailed top end. I produce and from time to time record other people. I have 3 more bass traps also and 2 on the way also....this is perfect advice RN because I am getting ready to tear down and rebuild my studio! Thanks
13:12 ... that is a ART channel strip for vocals... has a compressor EQ and a de esser... is a budget channel strip but isn't awful... with the other things he has it's not bad
Why you don't like foam? Most absorbers are of foam/Basotect here in Germany. Fiberglass should not be used in open space because of causing cancer, so it's only used in full packaging for bass absorbing. For standing waves we also use Helmholtz-absorbers or plate absorbers with exact weights. I'm a little confused.
I would say the most important thing with acoustics is to measure your room. If you dont know what’s the problemfequencies and standing waves in your room then what are you trying to solve? Make sure to know what your specific problem is and then solve it.
Funny thing, I'm trying to decide if having a 52inch OLED as a monitor is a good idea or not ut it is 6 feet away and half a foot behind the Kali In-8 monitors. Still a bad idea for reflection?
Hard to tell without measurements but my guess would be the monitor would still be better than the giant thing behind the speakers, simply because you'd deprive that area of treatment
I feel like you inadvertently don't recommend warm audio? Otherwise acoustics & monitoring are the major flaws of most studios. Including mine. How would you go about it in an apartment without putting things directly on the walls or corners? I'm along a long wall with my PC & monitors and behind me is a broken up wall with a kitchen and hallway and ..wall lol.
Oh, you made a comment about a DBX 160 clone. That is a piece of Audioscape gear (260VU). I am surprised you may have not heard of them. I think they are better than Stam. Not that I think Stam is not good. I prefer Audioscape. That is only my opinion. You should check them out.
I'm quite familiar with them, he's also a friend of mine but no, Stam is 1:1 the original, plus always an extra feature (or 3) audioscape is their version of the units.
@@mixbustv Did you see Audioscapes new 33609 they released last Saturday? It has many new features. Like I said I have no problem with Stam. Stam just takes kind of too long to get a unit and I think Audioscape may tend to stay truer to the original units with NOS parts. Either way they are both great products.
As a Adam A7V user I feel disrespected!!! Joking aside - besides the laser focused tweeter thing you mentioned why do you dislike (maybe a word that is too strong) Adam monitors? Any video where you discuss that I could check out - just being curios :) PS: I seem to have missed how do you get to submit your studio pics for review? :P
@@mixbustvah understood. I've not had the opportunity to try any of the more expensive speakers and this was my upgrade from the F7 which I had for years to the A7Vs. I really like them and there is a big improvement in my recent couple of mixes, however I had to turn down the high end on these as it's very prominenten and ear fatiguing especially on longer mixing sessions. Thanks for the reply and looking forward to your next video 🙌
BIG SCREENS….. are these really that big a deal? I see lots of big budget studios with a lot of glass. assuming there was treatment behind (back wall) the screen and above it (cloud) that the positioning was more of an issue than the simple size. Low frequency will travel straight through it unless a legacy heavy plasma type panel. I might take some measurements with and without the screen(s) to see what impact they have.
How big are the monitors (speakers) in those big budget studios? How well the measurements and consequent adjustments/tuning is? Everything in context. Not they are not a BIG deal but they are A deal, especially if you have a gigantic screen on a bad room with small speakers. See where I'm going?
@@mixbustv yes makes sense. At budget end. No treatment, small speakers, 49’ screen…. But at the other end. Treatment, measurements and adjustment, Trinnov, speakers slightly in front of the screen plane etc.,, there must be a lot that can be done to minimise the impact. Besides racks and racks of gear and a big desk are going to reflect like crazy too. So I agree it has some impact. But how much is the issue and whether mitigating it is worth the trade off. For pure mixing the adage is ‘mix with your ears’ but with hybrid end to workflow in same room that’s a lot of compromise I guess. Not trying to argue, just debate the point to get all the ‘angles’ covered. I’ve ordered a selection of arms and stands to experiment with placement and see what that does. By extension if this debate I would argue that you can’t really record, produce, mix and master in the same room of we are talking about the
yo, david really doesn't like warm audio stuff... he shits on every single piece of warm audio equipment, i think the only thing david hates more than warm audio gear is acoustic foam...
I really don't. I have and use their 2MPX, it's a great preamp, it's a super fun saturator. I just don't like everything they make because I'm honest. That's it
Budget for gear 150k, budget for treatment 99 cents 🤷😂🤣😂🤣
Hey David, Studio 3 owner here. Thanks for checking it out! It’s a pretty dead room, indeed. Corner traps are actually 20 inch, the bevel makes it look like they’re shallow. Tube traps work well as monitor stands, but yeah, I had to tilt the monitors a bit (the photo may not show this too well). The black thingy on the left is Axe-Fx III, IMO one of the best hardware guitar modelers. Well said about the Adam’s. The sweetspot is so narrow… off to upgrading them! 😂
Nice, I really enjoy watching other people’s studios. And can take some inspiration from some. Definitely a great idea to do this series 👍🏼😀
Dave, I really like what you are doing with this rate your studio. Please keep doing them!!!
We need to start the "NO Foam !!" drinking game on this series... LOL.. .one shot (favorite poison) per mention of "NO Foam !!!"
@@recordingwhiz foam = 1 slug. Big screen = 2 shots. And if you’re lucky enough to have Adam speakers. Better sink the whole bottle 🤣.
David, I'm thoroughly enjoying these two vids where you rate other people's studios. Please do more. :)
Hi David! Im from the first studio you rated here!! Thanks for the feedback, these are things I havent thought about since I am mainly a producer and not a mastering engineer, but good tips!! And really like these series!! Keep it up ❤
Hey David, Owner of Pi studio (Studio 22) here. Thanks for the review. The board is actually a Soundcraft Series 5 console, its a live mixing desk from the late 90s. The tape machine is an AKAI 4 track 1/4” machine. Behind that is a plate reverb I built a few years back (DIY kinda project 😂)
Thank you for reviewing my home studio. It's very helpful when you review multiple studios. We see the common cause issues as well as highlights of what we can do to improve our studios. I guess the SSL Bus + is on hold until I get the room treatments up to snuff. This series was a great idea.
hi david. love your channel!
Glad you enjoy it!
This is a really cool thing to watch on my birthday! Also, people who say foam is better than nothing are dead wrong! xD
Totally digging this show!
I'm surprised to see so many people still don't understand that monitoring is paramount and essential !!
All that money on gear and it's marred by huge acoustic problems
Thanks brotha, informative!
Great video! :)
Studio 21: Thanks a lot for the review! Obviously tight space has been a challenge haha, I'll get a bigger room in a couple of months for sure!
Fantastic reviews and great tips! 🤘🔥🔥🔥
Another great video with loads of good feedback. I’m in process of applying all of this to my own setup.
So far have reoriented the room.
Designed acoustic treatments - got about 30 GIK Units on order. Two walls of Sound Blocks baby!
Upgrade the monitors and bought new stands
Downsized from 12 racks to 8.
I’m thinking maybe a 4k projector might be the way to go to get a ‘big display’ at the mixing position. If like me you’re a ‘producer’ that mixes own material having a LOT of screen real estate is essential for DAW, mixer, VSTs etc. thinking another option MIGHT be a large TV in a retractable enclosure so the screen goes out of the way when mixing.
The comments about all of the warm gear kept cracking me up 😂
Hell Yeah 😎 Learning what's worth it 😁
Acoustics first is your safety first for your career
Love the studio reviews. 🔥 A mix review series would be crazy too. Maybe YT live or something. Charge a fee. Sheeesh. I’d pay for that.
You can book mix consultations, and then if you (anybody) gives clearance I do the review on video
@@mixbustv 🎯🎯🎯
That ART unit in the pro studio is called Voice Channel. It's a full channel strip with tube output stage like Pro VLA. It's cheap but better sounding than the price.
Great reviews, which monitor stands do you recommend to buy? which one do you use for horizontal monitors?
Hey David, Ron Stokes. The reason why my monitors look high is because I usually stand when I work or I have a really high chair I work from if that makes more sense haha.
Studio 7 is my project studio ! Self made from ground up ! Spend almost $50k on acoustics with the help of a pro acoustician! The Big speakers are customized old JBL with 2 subs underneath also JBL ! The thing measures +/- 5db from 40 hz to 300hz and has a timing below 0.2 sec down to 100hz !!! There hasn’t been one person that didn’t go nuts from the sound in there ! And BTW David your mixes sound Huge in here!!! Feel free to ask any questions!!!
Thank you!
I know you dont like big reflective screens. How about using a ceiling mounted projector onto a white acoustic panel
The problem is the projection screen. For a good image you don’t want it too porous. For acoustic you want a lot of air to flow. And large acoustic projector screens are very expensive! At least for home cinema. 10k+ vs 3k for a 65” OLED. But it could be the way to go. I’m going togo with moving the screen behind the monitors on a stand and throw a quilt over it when mixing. Then will build a mechanism to hide the screen automatically when mixing. I need a LOT of screen space for overall process. Flock app, monitoring windows, DAW, mix interface, libraries, VSTs. Would get rsi hitting tab key all day long and need new eyes if use a tiny screen 🤣
I'm studio 13, think what I'm going to do is just grab some corner traps. I got the consultation from GIK and this is what they put together for my corners. I'm going to move them and take the foam down. I have The IK multimedia precision 6 coming in my Adam A7x has a subwoofer I don't use because of the room acoustics aren't all the way there. TBH The A7X's are good but not my taste after using them for 2 years, I'm going to use them as reference because of that detailed top end. I produce and from time to time record other people. I have 3 more bass traps also and 2 on the way also....this is perfect advice RN because I am getting ready to tear down and rebuild my studio! Thanks
The monitors I use are actually Kali LP Unf, but I mostly do everything on headphones, Beyer 900 Pro X
13:12 ... that is a ART channel strip for vocals... has a compressor EQ and a de esser... is a budget channel strip but isn't awful... with the other things he has it's not bad
Ferrari engine In a Toyota - I think that is the most common studio type out there (including mine….) 😂
Great video series! Enjoy them all, nice ideas and feedback. I submitted my pictures, hopefully will get reviewed in next or upcoming video, Thx!!
As soon as I can afford it I'm going to build out the wall behind my monitors and put the monitors in the wall🎉
Hello :) What is the main problem with foam? and why foam is not a problem in the tracking room as mentioned at 20:25?
15:24 ... thought those were micro HEDD 3-ways for a second.. of course they are much further away from the CLA10's
Why you don't like foam? Most absorbers are of foam/Basotect here in Germany. Fiberglass should not be used in open space because of causing cancer, so it's only used in full packaging for bass absorbing. For standing waves we also use Helmholtz-absorbers or plate absorbers with exact weights. I'm a little confused.
Rockwool not fiberglass
@@mixbustv sorry, i thought, i heard you recommend fiberglass - my english is not so good
i REKT your studio 😂😂😂
I would say the most important thing with acoustics is to measure your room. If you dont know what’s the problemfequencies and standing waves in your room then what are you trying to solve? Make sure to know what your specific problem is and then solve it.
There is no thing as a universal solution. Every room is different and have alot of different problems.
Measuring should be done by a professional, most home studios won't do that. Also there are basic treatments that will better any room.
David you gotta get the Carnaby HE2 and let us hear it. I want a 500 pair.
Tell the company
Funny thing, I'm trying to decide if having a 52inch OLED as a monitor is a good idea or not ut it is 6 feet away and half a foot behind the Kali In-8 monitors. Still a bad idea for reflection?
Hard to tell without measurements but my guess would be the monitor would still be better than the giant thing behind the speakers, simply because you'd deprive that area of treatment
Curious, why don’t you like the Adam’s?
Curious the biggest screen size you recommend for studio set up?
The smallest you can comfortably work on
Hey bro can you give us a reference on speaker monitors we should be using in that range of the Yamaha HS5
If that's your budget that's your best bet.
I feel like you inadvertently don't recommend warm audio? Otherwise acoustics & monitoring are the major flaws of most studios. Including mine. How would you go about it in an apartment without putting things directly on the walls or corners? I'm along a long wall with my PC & monitors and behind me is a broken up wall with a kitchen and hallway and ..wall lol.
I don't recommend everything they make, just like other companies. I have and love their 2MPX
@@mixbustv cool beans
where do we upload a link to pictures? I would use Dropbox.
bookinghfs@gmail.com
Oh, you made a comment about a DBX 160 clone. That is a piece of Audioscape gear (260VU). I am surprised you may have not heard of them. I think they are better than Stam. Not that I think Stam is not good. I prefer Audioscape. That is only my opinion. You should check them out.
I'm quite familiar with them, he's also a friend of mine but no, Stam is 1:1 the original, plus always an extra feature (or 3) audioscape is their version of the units.
@@mixbustv Did you see Audioscapes new 33609 they released last Saturday? It has many new features. Like I said I have no problem with Stam. Stam just takes kind of too long to get a unit and I think Audioscape may tend to stay truer to the original units with NOS parts. Either way they are both great products.
How do we submit video for evaluation?
bookinghfs@gmail.com
Thanks for commenting though that’s awesome 🔥
Hey Dave how due we send in studio pics for your possible input? Respect for all you due👊🏾
bookinghfs@gmail.com
As a Adam A7V user I feel disrespected!!! Joking aside - besides the laser focused tweeter thing you mentioned why do you dislike (maybe a word that is too strong) Adam monitors? Any video where you discuss that I could check out - just being curios :)
PS: I seem to have missed how do you get to submit your studio pics for review? :P
The tweeter is enough for me, but I'm also not a fan of their low end on basically all the models I tried, owned (two) or worked with.
@@mixbustvah understood. I've not had the opportunity to try any of the more expensive speakers and this was my upgrade from the F7 which I had for years to the A7Vs. I really like them and there is a big improvement in my recent couple of mixes, however I had to turn down the high end on these as it's very prominenten and ear fatiguing especially on longer mixing sessions.
Thanks for the reply and looking forward to your next video 🙌
@@JayKayProductionsYeah hes making me afraid of buying the a7‘s😂
Can someone tell me how to submit.. would be super cool
it says at the end
@@mixbustv thanks I’m halfway through. Love these videos
BIG SCREENS….. are these really that big a deal? I see lots of big budget studios with a lot of glass. assuming there was treatment behind (back wall) the screen and above it (cloud) that the positioning was more of an issue than the simple size. Low frequency will travel straight through it unless a legacy heavy plasma type panel. I might take some measurements with and without the screen(s) to see what impact they have.
How big are the monitors (speakers) in those big budget studios? How well the measurements and consequent adjustments/tuning is? Everything in context. Not they are not a BIG deal but they are A deal, especially if you have a gigantic screen on a bad room with small speakers. See where I'm going?
@@mixbustv yes makes sense. At budget end. No treatment, small speakers, 49’ screen…. But at the other end. Treatment, measurements and adjustment, Trinnov, speakers slightly in front of the screen plane etc.,, there must be a lot that can be done to minimise the impact. Besides racks and racks of gear and a big desk are going to reflect like crazy too. So I agree it has some impact. But how much is the issue and whether mitigating it is worth the trade off. For pure mixing the adage is ‘mix with your ears’ but with hybrid end to workflow in same room that’s a lot of compromise I guess. Not trying to argue, just debate the point to get all the ‘angles’ covered. I’ve ordered a selection of arms and stands to experiment with placement and see what that does.
By extension if this debate I would argue that you can’t really record, produce, mix and master in the same room of we are talking about the
Why aren't you a fan of Focal Speakers?
I can't really click with the beryllium tweeter, just personal preference.
give me the classes for free i need them
😂😂
yo, david really doesn't like warm audio stuff... he shits on every single piece of warm audio equipment, i think the only thing david hates more than warm audio gear is acoustic foam...
I really don't. I have and use their 2MPX, it's a great preamp, it's a super fun saturator. I just don't like everything they make because I'm honest. That's it